QuestionHi Joe,
I live in Atlantic Canada, where the winters are long and very cold. I bought a small older home in 2007 with a 30-year-old oil furnace. The main heating appliance is a newish air tight wood-burning fireplace insert, and the oil furnace is a back-up. Three years ago, during the annual servicing, the furnace technician reported I needed a new nozzle on the burner in the furnace. Turned out they are no longer available. So he replaced the entire burner with a second hand one, under my warranty contract.

Since he retired last year, I now have a different service technician, who just reported my furnace has the wrong burner installed and it is therefore burning inefficiently and dirty. He recommended either a new "universal fit" burner or an entirely new (high efficiency) furnace. The "universal fit" (or adjustable) burner option was never mentioned to me before this, and I think he said that would cost about $1,000 installed, and a new 85% efficient condensing oil furnace about $4,000 installed.

Since I'm on a tight budget, and hope to be able to afford to retire in just a few years, I'm wondering what course of action to take. Does the above information sound plausible, or should I get another technician to have a look at my furnace, just to be sure? (each servicing is about $100).

Appreciate your time.

Linda

AnswerLinda,

I would not put any more money in a 35 year old furnace , I'm not 100 % sold on condensing oil furnaces , they have been around since the 80's with Yukon ultimate EX-95 being the first . Yukon stopped producing condensing furnaces , what does that tell you. Condensing gas furnaces are a different story . I find it hard to believe this company calls a 85 % condensing oil furnace high efficient as typically anything above 92 + is high efficient . A standard oil furnace using metal flue pipe and a chimney are anywhere from 83-86 % efficient and are more cheaper and more reliable , condensing oil furnaces are more complicated and are harder to set up and chances of lockout will be higher than a standard oil furnace design that has been around for many many decades. I would get a quote for a typical oil furnace of 84- 86 % . If you plan on living there a few years , getting manufactures warranty and a labor warranty from the installing contractor . What you describe as a condensing furnace may actually be a standard furnace using a power vent system for the flue ( not needing a chimney ) which sounds more like what they are describing when they say 85 % efficient . If that is what they are proposing that would be fine. Post the brand and model number of what they propose